“Can I give you a piece of advice?” Jill gets serious.
“Of course.”
“My boys are assertive and emphatic when they set their sights on something. It’s a trait I blame on Warren.”
“Oh lord, you may need to give him to me for this conversation.” Darby cradles Dev, and the second he’s gone, a glass slides next to me on the counter.
“You’ll need this.” Out of nowhere, Lynda appears and my skin prickles at the change in the group.
“What is this?”
“It’s my holiday specialty. You’ll like it.”
“But why do I need it?”
“Just trust in the wisdom,” Darby advises.
“Like I was saying, my boys don’t back down, barreling through obstacles they feel are in their way. Sometimes they lose sight of glaring signs.” She pauses, looking at Darby lovingly. “Learn to make them listen. It’s difficult, but it’s necessary to find that balance.”
“I don’t know if I’m following.” I take a large swallow of the bubbly concoction to keep from fidgeting.
“What she’s saying is that, if you ever feel overwhelmed and railroaded, speak up,” Darby announces.
“Speaking up has never been my problem. But most of it falls on deaf ears.”
There’s a chorus of ‘mmmhmms’ around the kitchen.
“Been there many, many times. These men have selective hearing if it doesn’t fit their agenda. Make him listen. It’s the only way to get through to the Kendrick men,” Darby goes on.
I’ve bonded with all these women over the last few months, some more than others, but my comfort level plummets with the fact that I’m in unchartered waters. They may like me, but the fact remains that I’m still new to this.
“Miller’s not very receptive to resistance.”
“I don’t like that grimace. She’s going pale,” Annie assesses with a scowl.
My shoulders snap straight, and I shake my head. “I’m not grimacing.” The reply sounds croaky even to my ears.
“No judgment. We know you’ve been through a lot and Miller’s moving fast.”
“Fast is quite modest.”
“Look at me.” Darby’s demand is kind yet firm.
I do as she says and catch the gleam of understanding in her light brown eyes. Then something happens, and that understanding transforms into a story she communicates silently. Our history is different, but the parallels are staring me in the face.
“She gets it.” Lynda reaches over and pats my arm.
“I do get it, and your support means the world. But for the first time in a long time, I’m one-hundred percent content with things. Miller helped me find my way back from the self-disgust that clung to me. We’re moving into the house and taking things step by step after that. Things will slow down and fall into place.”
There’s a sharp intake of breath and my eyes cut to Annie. “Fill ‘er back up, Lynda. We’ve got more work to do.”
Lynda scuttles by, and in less than five seconds, my glass is almost to the rim again. “What did I say?”
“Ain’t nothing slowing down for a while, girl. You need to buckle up. We’re gonna have a whirlwind of years ahead of us.”
“Let’s take one step at a time. I think Ashlyn will be fine.” Jill winks at me.
“My advice is to take this all in the first time. I had two interventions, one I was clueless to over margaritas and real talk. The next came with an ambush over French martinis,” Darby informs me.
“I’m a quick learner, and even if I wasn’t, I’m a master at disguise.”
“All I can do is pray Evin finds a sweet thing that can handle him. Lord, Darby was tough enough,” Annie pops in.
Darby’s eyes bulge, popping out, and she sighs in exasperation. “Evin’s going to need to move. Mom will chase even a saint away. Are you sure you’re attached to Miller? We can save a world of hurt if we switch out now.”
At this, happiness and amusement rush through me, and I throw back my head howling.
•—•—•—•—•
I sneak out of bed, careful not to wake Miller. It’s been so many years since I’ve taken part in this tradition, I wonder if my brothers still do it.
My answer is clear when I step into the living room and find Austin and Andrew sitting on the floor in front of the lit tree with a bottle of Jack Daniels.
Austin’s head swings around and he holds up an empty glass. “We’ve been wondering if you’d show.”
I shuffle quickly, sitting in the empty place between them. “I didn’t know if you two still did this.”
“We wondered if you remembered. It’s been a long time.” He hands me the glass.
A lump clogs my throat, and I sip lightly, feeling the burn of liquor. “I’d never forget. I’m sorry to miss it these last years.”
“You’re here now.” Andrew shoulders me playfully. “Who wants to go first?”
“I think my year in review is obvious.”
“Maybe we should do something a little different this year. Let’s go forward. What are we looking forward to?”